Origin of his Family 115
1313. His Birth 116
1329. He enters on the Study of the Canonical Law 117
1333. His Dislike for this Study 117
He goes to Naples 117
1338. He visits the Tomb of Virgil 118
A Description of it 118
Boccaccio--his Admiration of it 119
1341. Another Circumstance occurs which confirms his Predilection
for Literature 120
Commencement of his Attachment for Lady Mary 121
Some Account of her 121
Her Person 122
His first Book, "Filocopo" 123
The Story of it 123
His Style 124
1342. His Recal to Florence on the Death of his Father 125
His "Ameto" 126
1344. He returns to Naples 126
Death of King Robert 126
Queen Jane and her Court 126
"Filostrato," of Boccaccio 126
His "Amorosa Fiammetta" and "Amorosa Visione" 127
1348. He writes "The Decameron" 127
The Preface 127
Description of the Plague in Florence 128
Critique on the "Decameron" 130
1497. Burning of the "Decameron" 130
1527. The "Ventisettana" and "Delphin" edition of the
"Decameron" published 130
1350. Return of Boccaccio to Florence 131
His various Embassies 131
1351. He visits Petrarch at Padua 132
He is sent to Bohemia to Louis of Bavaria 133
1354. Again sent on a Mission to Avignon 133
His violent Party Feelings 133
His Letter to Petrarch 133
Petrarch's Answer 134
Boccaccio--his enthusiastic Love for the Study of the Ancients 135
His celebrated Copy of Dante 136
He visits Petrarch at Milan 137
Moral Change in him 137
1361. A singular Circumstance occurs which achieves this moral Work 139
He communicates this Circumstance to Petrarch 140
Petrarch's Letter in Answer 140
1363. Power and Influence of Acciajuolo, Seneschal of Naples 142
He invites Boccaccio to his Palace 142
His unworthy Treatment of Boccaccio 143
He removes from his Palace in consequence 143
He returns to Florence 143
His Residence at Certaldo 144
His Work, "De Casibus Virorum et Færainarum Illustrium" 145
1355. His Embassy to Pope Urban V. 145
He projects a Visit to Venice 145
His Letter to Petrarch, whom he missed seeing 145
1370. His Visit to Niccolo di Montefalcone, Abbot of the Carthusian
Monastery of San Stefano, in Calabria 147
1372. He visits Naples 147
1373. He returns to his Retreat at Certaldo 147
His Work on "The Genealogy of the Gods" 147
The Professorship for the Public Explanation of the "Divina
Commedie" conferred on him 148
1374. Petrarch's Death 149
Grief of Boccaccio 149
1375. (December 21st.) Death of Boccaccio 149